Fastener with spreading means



Oct. 13, 1953 o. J. POUPITCH 2,655,072

FASTENER WITH SPREADING MEANS Filed May 23, 1951 ag/yj'axa M (Viva/Mu Patented Oct. 13, 1 953 ougljc'sa Ju les foupitch, Itasca, I lfl.,.as signor to, Ill'irioisTooI work's; Chicago IlL, a corporation of Illinois Applieati01i'.-May;23,- 1951, Serial No: 227,800

spleens: (Cl. xii 5' This; invention relates generally to f asteners: of the type which are insertable within preformed aperturestina work piece,,and more particularly to fasteners-zof. this 'type' which are readily detachabledorreuse;

Devices' known in the trade as snap fasteners tener; preferably stamped and formed from sheet metal StQOkga the-shank.-of-;which may, be inserted within a work aperture: so as tolprovide afirm coupli'ngibetweenwork sheets; andwith equal facilityrbe iwithd-rawnjfromthe work aperture to permit disassembly of ;the parts.- To this-end the invention.: contemplates :a fastener wherein thehead :is provided with; a shiftable section, which in one position permits insertion and withdrawal of-a:;complementary shank and in another position-lsecuresthe shankag'ainst axial displacement.-

More-specifically the invention contemplates a fastener: as set forth above.- wherein the shank comprisesra plurality-of sections which maybe 1 spread apart after theinsertionthereof withinan aperture ior: theqpurpose of securing: the

shank? against disengagement, and the present invention contemplates means supported by and-- shiftable WithL-respect tothe :head ofthe fastener fonmaintaining the shank in spread con-- ditionmv It isalso an object of' -the-present invention toprovide a readily rattachableand detachable fas tener ofmthe type referred to :above; wherein the I means for; maintaining the shank in spread condition -may. -.be; formedintegral with the-head or it -may...-be a separatepart --supported' by, andshifta blewith respect to-the head.

Otherobj ectsand advantages will be more =ap parentlfromathefollowing detailed description when considered in connection-with the accompanying drawing, wherein 7 Fig.1. is a perspective view; disclosinga fastener of the present invention secured to a work panel}.

Fig?( 2 is. an a-enlarged vertical-sectional view of thefastener as; shown in Fig.1 1,v taken substan tia'lly along the line 1-4. of Fig. .1 justaft'er the initial insertion l of the 'fastenersshank into the A work aperture and before the shanksections have been :spread radially outwardlyinto work securing: position; I n

Fig.3 is a vertical sectional view similar ;to Fig. 2 showing-the spreader member of the fastener engagingan abutment on; one ;of ;the head -membersso as; tospread the 'shank sections intowork securing position; A 7

Fig. his an elevationalview taken from; the I left "of Fig. -2 showing; the position occupiedby the' spreader member before the fastener is finallylsecured imposition; H 4 Fig. '5 is an elevationalview similar to-;Fig.; 4 showing the spreader member'rnoved; from the; p t on. shown :in- Fi ---,i vens se ntiwit the abutment surface on one ,of the fastener head members; v w A ,v Fig. dis a perspective viewof the fastener i1 v lustratedin Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, equippedwithg a modified-form of catch consisting of cooper: ating detents or dimples in the spreader member and gthecomplementary head-member;

Fig.7 is-a perspective view-similar to Fig.6; win t ner w h; o ifie fo of spreader member pivotally carried. by oneof the 4 msm e si an v 3 is per ne r 'view of amq fied o m of fastener wherein "the entire structure ;is 'made from --asingle pieceof stripstock-,. and wherein? e p ad jm mb si ltme int ra w pn of -the-head ;members and is-shiftable in a plane substantially parallel to the-shank axis, as dis: tinguishedfrom the disclosure in the previously mentioned figures wherein the spreader 1 member;

isshiftable in aplane;extendingz substantiallyv norrnaitqthe shank axis. 7

i e ri an wr o e dr win m in d t ll wher ein like numerals have been employed to s n te i1 r a s throu ho t el ai o .figures,;.it will be seen that oneembodiment of the invention consists' of ai two-piece fastener designated-"generally"by the numeral I O. This fastener to l preferably made from strip= sheet stock. One portion of the fastener comprises 452,: a shank -;l2 formed lay-bending; the strip:stock' backjuponitself soas to provide a pair of'shank sections l4 connected 'at;- l6,'-- the entering ex} tremity of the shank; Ihe opp 3siteextremities" of the shank sections- It support :integral shead ,sections: .1 8 and--20 extending laterally r'from the to pivotally secure the member as to the head 20.

With the spreader member 38 in the position shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 6, the shank sections [4 occupy their normally spaced relation which is sufficient to permit insertion within the work aperture 26. After the shank has thus been inserted and the head members [8 and 2G brought to bear against the work surface, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and i, the member or lever 3E] may now be shifted about the pivot 32 through substantially 90 from the position shown in Figs. 2, l and 6 to the position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5.

In this shifted position the outer or cam edge 34 moves into engagement with a complementary abutment 36 formed integral with the outer margin of the head it, and the effective length of the spreading member is such as to cause the head member l82fi, and consequently the shank sections I4, to move radially outwardly from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5. When the spreading member 36 has been moved to the final position shown in Fig. 5, the shank sections I4 will be so spread as to assure locking association thereof with the work piece and the lead members i8 and will be shifted from their presentation of a reduced head area (Fig. 4) to an enlarged head area (Fig. 5). In the disclosed embodiment, this looking association consists of shoulder means 28 designed to cooperate with the head members 18 and 29 in securing the fastener in a fixed position upon the work piece.

In order to resist any tendency for the spreader member 30 to loosen, a latch arrangement or catch is provided consisting of a section 38 formed integral with the head [8 and the outer extremity of a latch member 49 formed integral with the spreader member 30. As the spreader member 30 approaches its final position, shown in Fig. 5, the latch member 40 will snap past the lowermost surface of the complementary latch member or catch 38. Thus in order to shift the spreader member 39 in a counterclockwise position from the position illustrated in Fig. 5, it will be necessary to overcome the resistance established between the interlocked catch members 38-46. In Fig. 6 a fastener is shown which is substantially identical with the fastener illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the only difference being that in addition to the interlocking catch members 3840, complementary dimples or detents 42-44 are shown. The detent 42 is provided in association with the head [8 and the dimple 44 is formed in the vicinity of the free extremity of the spreader arm 30.

In Fig. '7 a slightly modified form of fastener is shown which is designated generally by the numeral [0a. The only structural difference between the fastener [0a and the fastener shown in Fig. 6 is the form of the spreader member 3011. This spreader member 30a, like the spreader member 30, is pivotally secured at 32a to the head member 28a. In the position shown in Fig. '7, the spreader member 30a is detached from the abutment 36a so as to permit the shank sections Ida to occupy their normal unspread relation. When the spreader member 30a is pivoted so as to bring the arcuate periphery thereof into engagement with the abutment 36a, the head members I8a20a, as well as the shank sections Ma are spread so as to lock the fastener in its secured position. Complementary dimples or detents 42a and Ma cooperate to secure the spreader member against inadvertent disengagement from the abutment 3611.

Thus far the described embodiment of the invention has contemplated two piecesone forming the head and shank and the other a spreader member. The spreader member previously described is shiftable in a plane which extends transversely and, in fact, substantially normal to the shank axis. In Fig.8 a modified form of fastener designated generally by the numeral lllb may be made from a single strip of sheet metal stock. All of the parts of this fastener corresponding with the fastener previously described are identified by similar numerals bearing the suflix b. It will be seen from Fig. 8 that the fastener lfib contemplates a shiftable spreader member or arm 3% which is formed integral with a head member [8b. The connection between the arm 30b and the head member l8b provides a hinge or pivot 32b which permits movement or shifting of the spreader member 331) within a plane extending in substantial parallelism with the shank axis. When the spreader member 3% is shifted so a to lie in juxtaposition with respect to the outer surfaces of the head members l3b20b, a cam or arcuate surface 3412 on the member 302) will have coacted with an abutment 36b to bring about the desired spreading of shank sections Mb. In this position suitable catch or latching members 42b44b coact to secure the member 30b against inadvertent disengagement from the abutment 36?).

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention contemplates a very simple yet practical fastener design which makes it possible to attach or detach the same with respect to an apertured work piece. By employing a spreader member which is shiftable with respect to and supported by one of the head members, the shank sections may be urged and secured positively in their work securing spread position. The simple shifting of the spreader member to its engagement with the abutment on the shank head assures permanent association of the fastener with the work panel. As previously pointed out, the fastener may be made from simple sheet metal stampings and may be produced by practicing conventional forming and stamping operations. It will also be apparent from the foregoing description that the head portion of the fastener, together with the spreader member, provides an effective seal which may completely cover the aperture into which the fastener shank is inserted. In many applications this is an important and desirable feature. While certain specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it will be apparent that other modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A fastener comprising a shank having a plurality of longitudinally extending shank sections connected together at one end and shiftable toward and away from each other and normally disposed to present a reduced peripheral section, a head comprising head members each 5 secured to a corresponding shank section at the other end thereof and projecting outwardly therefrom and movable therewith transversely of the shank axis between a position presenting a reduced head area and a position presenting an enlarged head area, at least one of said shank sections having an outwardly projecting portion spaced from said head, abutment means carried by and movable with one head member, and a shank spreading member pivotally carried by and movable with the other head member and shiftable relative thereto between an inoperative position out of engagement with said abutment means and an operative position in engagement with said abutment means, the effective length of said shank spreading member being such as to effect lateral separation of said head members with resultant spreading of said shank sections when in engagement with said abutment means.

2. A fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided catch means for securing the spreading member against inadvertent disengagement from said abutment means.

3. A fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spreading member is provided with a camming surface at its free end cooperating with said abutment means to spread the head members and shank sections.

4. A fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spreading member is shiftable in a plane extending substantially transversely of the shank axis.

5. A fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spreading member is shiftable substantially in the plane of the shank axis.

6. A fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spreading member comprises a plate-like member resting upon the outer surface of its associated head member and separately pivoted thereto.

7. A fastener as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plate-like member is substantially circular and there is provided catch means for maintaining the same in engagement with said abutment means.

8. A fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spreading member comprises an elongated plate-like member integrally connected to its associated head member and shiftable substantially in the plane of the shank axis.

OUGLJESA J ULES POUPITCH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 505,437 Carter Sept. 26, 1893 2,128,005 Lombard Aug. 23, 1933 2,220,135 Wardell Nov. 5, 1940 2,513,847 Covey July 4, 1950 2,521,317 Waara Sept. 5, 1950 2,540,396 Krach Feb. 6, 1951 2,627,294 Bedford Feb. 3, 1953 

